America 1919

The Brigadier sat down unceremoniously, his eyes slowly sweeping over the entire bar, his somber voice rising once again.

"Other than the name, nothing has changed! That idiot George actually gave this place to you, it truly is a damn shame."

Donnie sat at another table, watching the Brigadier. If there was anyone in Atlantic City that Donnie least wanted to see, the Brigadier would certainly top the list.

After all, he had plotted to kill his illegitimate son.

"I've heard tales of the Brigadier since I was very young. May I ask why the Brigadier has come here today?"

At that moment, Donnie maintained his composure, although his heart had already reached the highest level of alert, he still appeared very calm.

The Brigadier spoke in his perpetually unhurried tone, not answering Donnie's question, but instead continued on his own accord: "I remember, not long after I had started the street corner, I established Korla Bar here, hoping to pass it on forever, yet to my surprise, that fool George gave it to you!"

Donnie did not speak this time, as if he were really waiting for the Brigadier to reminisce about his past.

John sat next to Donnie with one hand in his pocket, where his handgun was.

After waiting a while, as if the Brigadier had finished reminiscing about the past, he continued in his unrushed manner: "I've heard that before, George wanted to take this place back?"

Donnie nodded, saying, "That's right, but what's heartbreaking is that just when I was ready to leave, he was killed by someone!"

The Brigadier nodded, a trace of sadness on his face: "Although George was an idiot, he was still my son. The things he didn't finish, I still intend to do them!"

Donnie's brows furrowed momentarily before he smiled and said, "Of course, if the Brigadier wishes to take this place back, we can leave immediately."

After stepping into the bar and seeing Donnie for the first time, the Brigadier seriously sized up Donnie for the second time, then with a slight smile said.

"I thought you might refuse!"

Donnie calmly replied, "I can't imagine anyone in Atlantic City who could refuse a request from the Brigadier!"

"Haha!" The Brigadier laughed heartily for the first time, then said, "Forget it, I've heard George say many times that you two were good friends on the battlefield. Not only that, but you also saved his life there. I'm old now, and Atlantic City belongs to the younger generation. Since this place has already been given to you, I'll leave it in your hands!"

"Thank you for your generosity, Brigadier!" Donnie said gratefully.

The Brigadier continued, "I've heard that when you were on the battlefield, your cooperation with the British was very pleasant?"

Donnie nodded, "Indeed it was; we made quite a few friends there."

The Brigadier nodded slightly, showing a satisfied smile, again touching on the topic of his old age: "I'm old now, with no one else by my side. As a good friend of George's, I hope you can come to my home when you have the time, to visit an old man like me."

Donnie showed a perfectly appropriate smile and said, "If that's the case, it would be my great honor!"

The Brigadier nodded again, then propped himself up with his cane, preparing to leave, and said, "That works out well, there's a dinner at my house tomorrow night, you can bring your lady friend along!"

"Thank you for the invitation, Brigadier, I will definitely be there on time!"

Donnie also stood at this moment and saw the Brigadier out of Block Tavern.

Only after the Brigadier had gotten into his car and left did John finally breathe a sigh of relief and ask, "What's that old guy up to, coming here and talking nonsense? He doesn't know what we did, does he, and now wants to lure you to his place to kill you?"

"If he really knew the truth of the matter, he wouldn't meet us in such a manner!"

Donnie spoke to John with a complex look: "It looks like our plans for a peaceful revenue stream might be dashed. From now on, we're going to have trouble."

At this point, Donnie added with a hint of anticipation, "However, this could also be an opportunity for us!"

With a brain capacity akin to that of a squirrel's, John couldn't comprehend what Donnie meant, but Donnie did not bother to explain further.

He needed to return to his room to carefully consider the night's events.

Though the Brigadier's power in Atlantic City was no longer comparable to Nucky's, it was still beyond Donnie's reach. So, if the Brigadier truly knew that George's death was orchestrated by Donnie, Block Tavern would surely have already been riddled with bullet holes by now.

The fact that he came in person to talk in such a cryptic manner simply meant that with George's death, the Brigadier was short of someone to charge into battle in Atlantic City.

And as for himself!

With the start of Prohibition and a steady supply of alcohol to sell to others, coupled with Nucky's favor, it was impossible for the general not to take notice of him.

"These people should have already investigated my background thoroughly. It seems I need to ask Carl to find another brewery in addition to the fixed one, as a backup. If one encounters a problem, the other can continue the supply," he thought.

Whether it was Nucky's previous appreciation or the general's current recruitment, Donnie was well aware that the other party only wanted to use him as a tool.

And a disposable tool at that.

So once Donnie realized they knew more about him, he naturally had to prepare some fallback options!

"The general's blatant visit today will probably reach the always watchful Nucky very soon. What will Nucky do then?"

At this thought, Donnie actually felt some expectation. If Atlantic City were a calm lake, it would be extremely difficult for him to rise to prominence since the city's power figures had already achieved a perfect balance, forming a self-serving interest group.

They absolutely did not tolerate any newcomers.

At that moment, Donnie felt like he was playing the two men, leading both the general and Nucky on. When in trouble, he'd be sweet-talking them, but when not, he'd maintain, "We're just ordinary friends. I thought you understood my thoughts, but it turns out you're just as vulgar, only interested in my 'body'."

Indeed, as Donnie had anticipated, Nucky had learned about the general's visit to Block Tavern even before the general had left.

"I didn't expect Donnie to become such a sought-after individual that even the general would personally seek him out!"

After hearing Louis' report, Nucky leaned back on the sofa, his expression a bit dazed due to the hangover from the night before.

Seeing Nucky's condition, Louis poured him a cup of coffee and said, "Boss, Donnie is just an owner of a tavern. There are hundreds, if not a thousand, like him in Atlantic City. Why would the general take notice of him? Could it be there was contact between them before?"

Nucky shook his head confidently, "No, if there had been contact between them before, George wouldn't have approached him to reclaim the tavern."

Continuing, Nucky asked Louis, "Do you know why I have such a high opinion of Donnie?"

Without hesitation, Louis replied, "Because you said before, Boss, that Donnie is someone moderately intelligent with some tricks up his sleeve!"

Nucky nodded and smiled, "That was my earlier assessment of him, but now Donnie has done something that indeed proves he deserves such praise!"

Not quite understanding, Louis asked, "What did he do?"

Nucky, turning the question back to Louis, inquired, "Do you know who has made the most money from this failure to enforce Prohibition in Atlantic City?"

"Of course, it's you, Boss!" Louis replied promptly and decisively.

Although Nucky's warehouse had been bombed, causing him to lose a large quantity of stored alcohol, the fact that Atlantic City's Prohibition failed meant that Nucky would definitely have a goldmine to exploit in the future.

Nucky dismissed the notion with a wave of his hand, "That's in the future. I'm talking about right now. Right now, the person who has made the most from this situation is actually Donnie Block.

According to the data you delivered earlier, just yesterday, the retail sales from Donnie's Block Tavern and the alcohol purchases by bars, brothels, boarding houses, and hotels from him have reached nearly ten thousand US dollars. If all these stockpiled drinks were amassed by Donnie beforehand, then by now he must have earned at least four thousand dollars!"

"Ten thousand dollars? Four thousand dollars?"

Louis was shocked by these figures. Although he was the one who delivered the data, they were presented to him in written form by others, so Louis hadn't seen these figures for himself.

"How is that possible? Donnie only borrowed a thousand dollars from you. Where did he get so much stockpiled alcohol?"

Nucky chuckled softly, "That's exactly why I say this situation perfectly reflects Donnie's intelligence. I think the real reason he came to borrow money from me was not actually for the thousand dollars but rather to get to know me. Plus, when he lied to us about wanting to buy a tavern, in reality, he was acquiring alcohol elsewhere. He even managed to deceive me at the time!"

Hearing this, Louis couldn't help but say, "Boss, if that's the case, we definitely can't let Donnie side with the general!"

Nucky, still confident, said, "Don't worry, I've told you, haven't I? Donnie is a smart man. Since he's smart, he knows what to choose. In Atlantic City, not choosing me and instead going with the general would make me think everything he's done so far was directed by someone else!"

Louis was still somewhat concerned, "But what if the general offers him an irresistible proposition?"

Nucky smiled calmly, "The general won't put all his hopes on Donnie. Therefore, the conditions he can offer Donnie are definitely not something we can't match!"

On stating this, the smile on Nucky's face vanished, and he spoke more seriously, "However, your worries are not without reason. Have someone keep a close eye on Donnie. If he really makes a poor choice, then there's no need for such a person to stay around anymore!"

"Yes!"